Nutrition of farmed rabbits.

Current status of rabbit production worldwide The rabbit is now recognized as one of the world’s major livestock species, with an estimated global yield of one million tonnedyear of rabbit carcass (Lebas et al. 1986). Europe remains the centre of world meat-rabbit production with the USSR, France, Italy and Spain supplying approximately two-thirds of this estimated world production. In the UK the industry has failed to grow significantly over the past 10 years, and it is currently estimated that UK production is around 6OOO tonnedyear, with consumption values of 0.2 kg/head per year (1988; Commercial Rabbit Association, personal communication). The major consumers in Europe are France, Italy and Spain at 3-3.5 kghead per year. Interest in the production of wool from the Angora rabbit has also seen a resurgence over the past 10 years. Currently world production is estimated at 6OOO tonnedyear, with China (5000 tonnes), Chile (450 tonnes) and Argentina (300 tonnes) established as major producers and Italy, Hong Kong and Japan as the principal importers of Angora wool for the fashion and medical garment trade (1987; F. McClure, personal communication).